I use a deduction process. All stories start with a 5. If I end up finishing the story and I felt it was poorly written / unbelievable / incoherent I´ll deduct a point.I have never given below a 4. Usually I will not finish a story that I would consider scoring a 3, so I dont ever score them.

Joined: 10/22/2011Posts: 2,006Location: Somewhere with Sun and Sea, United States

I usually score stories a 4 or 5 unless there is major problem with a story. If the writer is new and has several problems I will score 4 and include a some constructive comments. If the writer has posted many and still has glaring errors then I would go a very rare 3. I try to reserve 5's for the great stories. I do find so many great stories that I now wish we had a limited number of 6's for those really exceptional stories that just amaze me.

Joined: 2/24/2012Posts: 257Location: Where I need to be right now, United States

There are only a few "established writers" on Lush who are guaranteed to get 30+ views and receive consistent 4's and 5's by their loyal groupies without fail.. then there are the herd of readers who run up massive views and votes for anything to do with incest.. some writers have 300+ avatars in their friends list and send out blanket marketing emails trumpeting their latest endeavor and they will usually get a respectable number of views and votes from them.. for the most part none of the above can be considered objective consideration of a product.. as for everyone else who posts a story or poem it is only by random chance and rule of chaos by design that they get stumbled across and viewed much less voted for.. and then when they get a 1-2-3 vote for something they were proud of it doesn't enhance the possibility that the next endeavor will follow..

In all honesty if we want to change this system from the subjective whirlpool that it is then make it mandatory to leave a comment if you vote.. and make your vote appear as part of your comment so the writer knows who is judging them and why.. it would be far more productive as a writer to get feedback as opposed to someone just arbitrarily throwing a 1 in the score just to bring the average down.. and I'm already expecting a flood of 1's coming my way but it is what it is..

Now to answer the original question.. this is how I vote.. 1 is a horrible score, I can't even imagine ever giving a 1 to anybody.. (maybe if it was written backwards in crayon).. you get a 2 just for being on Lush.. a 3 is automatic if you took the trouble to write something and post it.. if your work has a catchy title you get a 4.. and lastly.. If I read your work and commented.. you got a 5..

When I score a story, I give each story a chance. I don't mind bad grammar or spelling as I know a few people close to me that have literacy problems.

I never score a one because that's rather petty in my opinion. Nor do I score a 2 because its the same reason as a one. I score 3 to 5.

A 3 is given if the story is rushed. Overly discriptive in one paragraph, for example:"My name is Lizzy, I'm 18 and I have long blonde hair which I wear in a pony tail. Today I'm wearing a string bikini as I'm going to the beach. My boyfriend is going to rub lotion over my 34 DD tits. Boy am I glad I waxed my hooha, so it's smooth to touch hee hee."

Another reason I score a 3 is if the author can't write cock, penis, cunt, vagina etc and put "down there". It's what a teenager writes in fanfiction. And boy have I seen plenty of those.

To score a 4 I look at pace, style of writing, descriptions etc. Flow is important. And I can see the author took their time writing their story.

For a 5 if the story keeps my attention to the end and I found it entertaining then I rate it. "Sexual pleasure in woman is a kind of magic spell; it demands complete abandon; if words or movements oppose the magic of caresses, the spell is broken."

1. Complete. If I feel that way to much was missing and I was not given enough, this point is not given.2. Spelling and Grammar. I want to understand what I am reading. A bunch of misspelled words and bad grammar ruins that.3. Do I get slightly turned on. I am not saying so horny I want to touch myself, but does it have the appeal of a sex story?4. If it was just an overall good story. Some people tell sex scenes really well and miss out on the story around it. I like the story just as much as I like the sex that surrounds it. If its just sex and I can't build a scene or a connection, then I am not a fan.5. Last but not least, trying. Everyone gets at least one point for trying.

Because of this, I have found that I do not score stories a lot, because I don't want to seem rude. I only score stories when I feel that I can give them a four or higher. If I score it and its lower, I will definitely tell you why and in the most constructive way that I can.

I use a deduction process. All stories start with a 5. If I end up finishing the story and I felt it was poorly written / unbelievable / incoherent I´ll deduct a point.I have never given below a 4. Usually I will not finish a story that I would consider scoring a 3, so I dont ever score them.

I´m a rather generous scorer.

I think that's a lovely approach!! Sort of like an innocent until proven guilty sort of scoring system...

I will generally score with 4s or 5s.

Things I will lower my score for:

The basics: If there are a lot of spelling, grammar, punctuation type mistakes, then I will score it down as it shows that the writer hasn't properly read the story back to themselves and if they can't be bothered to take the time to do that, or have a good friend read it over, then why should I?

Repetition: Sometimes writers have a tendency to keep repeating the same phrases or descriptions over and over. As a reader, I find that can get a bit tedious.

Content: I won't mark down for content. It may not be to my personal taste, but if it is well written, then I don't think that should affect the score.

Interest: Does it hold my interest? If yes, well good! If not, then I have a tendency to skim read and get bored or not even finish it. SO I guess that includes plot, delivery... that sort of thing.

Sexiness: I rarely find myself turned on to a huge degree by reading stories, however, it does happen on occasion and that will definitely give them a good score.

I get less chance to read for pleasure (so to speak) on Lush these days as I am a story verifier.I almost never score or comment on those stories unless it is a first story... Generally because I am going straight back to pick up the next story to verify. Perhaps I ought to make more of an effort on that score... I have a long list of friends' stories to catch up on (I WILL get around to them)

I do know that I am inclined to correct small (and sometimes not so small) errors in the stories I verify and if I reject a story, or feel that it could be improved, I will make a point of giving feedback to the author, to help them with that.

It is lovely to receive good feedback on a story, especially if it mentions specific things that the reader liked or disliked. It really does help you to improve, as a writer.

The scoring system is slightly different, in that it allows anonymity, I believe that you can set your stories to require a comment in order to leave a score or something... I haven't done that. I feel that would probably stop a lot of people from voting at all.

I've seen times where I've voted, without commenting, as I've had nothing specific to say. If it's a writer I am friends with here, or if there aren't many comments on the story, I'm more inclined to comment...

I think that the scoring system is as fair as it can be really. Sure, you may get people voting down stories, for whatever reason, but that it their prerogative. What I see as a 5 may be seen by someone else as a 4, 3, 2, 1...

Some people choose to disable the voting completely and just let the stories be read... I think that's quite a brave thing to do! lol

I think that the general standard of writing and also the verifying (yup, wee pat on the back for the team there) is quite high, so in my opinion, I'd think it rare to find a story that fell below a 3.

If I do give it a story anything other than a 5 I will put some creative criticism in the comments so that the author can see what they did wrong and how to improve on it.Teased and Tormented -My very first story and competition entry is now up!

I score stories not only on the proper use of words, grammar, and diction, but also on content and realism. If the writer makes the story seem real and I can visualize it then it gets a very high mark. I tend to get bored easily with the more far fetched stories.

I don't score anything less than a 4 or 5, either. Something less than that, then I'd rather not be negative. Everybody tries (I'm no erotic Charles Dickens)but there are a very few people on lush are amazing writers.I used to score stories for those who send out the emails, but I don't anymore, unless it's well written. In fact I have taken the time to delete people who send out blanket emails "score my new story."If I've only been added to your friends list, for story email spam, and I don't socialize with you, then... sorry.

I like stories that are believable, and look forward to more stories from quite a few lush members.

If a story holds my interest from the opening through the end, It will generally earn a 4 or a 5. An occasional typo doesn't detract from the score - a plethora of them will. The same for grammatical or punctuation errors. If before I reach the end of the story I decide it will garner a 3 or less, I typically don't finish it or leave a score.

Unless in support of a friend, I also avoid genres or categories that either offend me or I don't get. Except from those 'friends', I don't feel it's fair to score on a story in a category I avoid.

I'm a generous grader but I preselect my stories for what I am looking for, specific genre, female's perspective, passion, etc. After that, the story has to be real and believable? Grammar that's good enough to not distract from the story.

I have a very simple rule in scoring..I like it = 5I dont like it = Dont vote“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” ― Helen Keller

I don't give 5's too easy, but I do give out a lot of 4s. The majority of stories I score get 4. I reserve the 5 for the stories I find exceptional.

As someone else said a few grammar or typos don't bother me but when they get to the point that it interferes with the flow then it bothers me. Or if I have to stop to figure out what they actually meant there.

I have never given a 1. Only a 2 once or twice and the story was just really bad. I have given 3's just when the story is that -- average.

Since I am scoring erotic stories my biggest thing is I have at least got to get a tingle. If the story is great but just has no erotic appeal then I feel as far as this site goes they missed the point. I would probably score it higher on another site but number 1 the stories have got to be erotic or hot.

The only thing that really bothers me since I follow a lot of authors and read their full set of stories -- I hate when an author just seems to follow a cookie cutter formula in writing. All of their stories have no variety, etc. I recently read through one authors stories and every sex scene just seemed to be the same in each story with a new set of character names.

And I really hate when an author does a series but in some of the chapters it seems nothing really happens. It's like watching a 3 hour movie where the 2nd hour could have been cut out and the story still been as good.

As mentioned above a variety of factors play in when I'm scoring. Stories that make it clear that the author was paying no attention to grammar or spelling start at a three and go down, because it really isn't hard to capitalize an "I" or hit the spell-check button.

I will also mark down if it is cliche ridden, unbelievable, or just frankly stupid.

I will give a minimum of four for stories that are well written, regardless of whether or not I'm all that into it, with fives reserved for stories that just plain do it for me and are a pleasure to read. The ultimate compliment I can pay to a writer I enjoy is to follow them, because it takes a lot to get me to sign up for emails every time that person posts something new.

If I like it, if it pulls me in, it gets a four.If I love it and I read it again, it gets a five.

In short stories there's only so much someone can do. I do intense and in depth critiques, but those intense efforts only apply to longer pieces like novellas and novels.

For a short story - if I don't like it, I just don't read it unless someone asked me to. If I read it and don't like it, I'll consider it a personal thing for me (and not a critiquable element) and I just won't vote.

The only time I give 3's and lower is when I've spent money or a lot of time reading and the book let me down. In that case, ill give a detailed review that gives pros and cons.

5 -- If I read it and it draws me in right away and is very well written4 -- If the story takes a while to develop and the climax is not what I thought it should've been3 -- If the character development sucked and not well writtenn at all2 -- Never given any to anyone1 -- Only given one and it was to a story that was very high rated by everyone else. The story did absolutely nothing for me. I kept on reading it hoping for it to get better and it never happened.

I think that I start at 3 before I begin reading then I add and subtract for grammar, style etc but never for the theme. To get a 5 I have to be in the same room as the characters. Not liking a theme doesn't stop me from enjoying a story if it's well written.

I don't score really, unless its a friend's story. I'll leave comments though as those are far more useful(when thought out correctly) than me handing off 4's and 5's. I've never rated a story below a 4 though, if I don't like it I just leave it and move on. It's usually obvious when someone took the story seriously or not. If I did score, I wouldn't give a person a 1 or 2 though.

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